Hi guys, I hope this content was helpful, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on moving forward with these type of reviews and projects. Here are some helpful links but I've put more information in the description for you also: the NEW xTool S1 exclusive discount code '200S1' on S1 to enjoy a $200 off of purchases of $2000 or more. UK: uk.xtool.com/products/xtool-s1-laser-cutter?ref=g9u23thc& US: www.xtool.com/products/xtool-s1-laser-cutter?ref=g9u23thc& My Patreon page: patreon.com/JoshuaDeLisle?Link& ***WIN*** Enter the current raffle here *(Ends 18 Nov 2023 @ 10am)*: raffall.com/joshuadelisle Cheers J
"Stop being a watcher and instead, become a doer and get out there in the real world, and forge for yourself, a life worth living." Excellent ! Every You tube video should have this at the end and in the description.
Thank you so much. I tell my kids there are two kinds of people, those that get up and make the world better and those that sit and complain about why the world is falling apart. I tell them it's their choice which they want to become. Cheers J
Your Tesla Turbine is not doing what a Tesla Turbine is meant to be. Without a Case that forces the Gas to exit in the Center of rotation, the Air gets pulled out from the centrifugal force. What you want is, that the Air has to exit through the Center. So as the air is pulled out but only can go inside, it has to accelerate in a spiral trajectory towards the Center. Like water is doing when draining off in your shower. This is what makes Tesla Turbines reaching RPS way above 50´000 and suddenly ripping apart your blades if not perfectly balanced. lol But thanks for the review of the machine.
@@TheZombieSaintsit’s like mixing yeast, sugar, water, and salt together and calling it bread, then saying “it needs some work to increase it’s breadyness”. No it needs the main ingredient.
@@TheZombieSaints I did, he said that a enclosure makes the turbine even more efficient. But thats not true. His Turbine does not work as intended in the first place. He actually would change the whole functional concept of the turbine. Thats a difference.
Great Video,as always -as well as charging a battery, can you please also charge a sand battery? I know you want to hookup to your van heater, but would love to see what kind of performance it would give,as i am thinking of building a wind wall and a gutter wind turbine - your workshop walls could give you a lot of power,not just for heating,and if you have space for a windwall, you might be able to cheaply go off-grid Look forward to next weeks episode 👍😁
Nikola Tesla is one of my favourite historical people, a brilliant inventor who thought way outside any box. He had a photographic memory along with a imagination that was immense. If Joshua builds a bigger Tesla turbine it will be a fascinating exercise. Great post, thank you 👍
As always, love this video. Great delivery, sense of humor, accessibility via clear explanations, and a damn fine closing command to get off our arses.
Thank you so much, I'm blessed to have such wonderful subscribers who encourage me to the best that I can, so hopefully I can encourage you guys to do your best also. cheers J
So the probe works by mapping the area not by dragging but by dibbing up and down and registering different heights and open spaces, this can only be done in the xTool software which I didn't get to use. Cheers J
Hi Josh, Another of Teslas magic. I have been interested in this turbine for many years but my age is against any further experiments, however I think you would be interested in salvaging the platters from old non-functionl PC hard drives, these being If I remeber correctly somewhere around the 1-1.5 mm thichness. These would need to be set up to have the center sectionscut out as you have done on your turbine with ultra thin (not flat) platters. The bearings would need to be ceramic by prefference as the normal speed of a corrrectly built turbine is in excess of 10-15 thousand RPM. In fact many well built turbines have exploded due to excessive centripedal forces at such high speeds. I don't know if you are aware that if you drive the turbine not only do you acheive a high rotary velocity but the center if isolated will act as a vaccuum generator. Getting back to the hard disk platters, they are ideal as they are precision made and precision flat and are ideal for the turbine blades. Unfortunately I never got around to building one due to the pressures of family life and now am too old to want to. I have enjoyed your videos which follow a lot of my past interests and I wish you well in your edevours. Best regards MoK. PS.Teslas coil is another enjoyable build you may want to look at.
HDD platter would tank efficiency, the thinner the sheets more sheets you can squeeze in.Teslas equations basically shift the factors for efficiency to want more sheets and more rpms.
Use a number of small nozzles to guide the air between disks, then you can have as many disks as desired, and they can be strong but lightweight. The density of stainless steel works against you at high RPM, because you are up against the same kind of problem as a space elevator. They need material that is strong but lightweight. The aluminum substrate of HDD platters is not ideal, but it is better than any variety of steel.@@jerrys2292
Hello Joshua!!! I use Google translator. Therefore, please forgive me in advance, the phrase was translated incorrectly...I’m just learning how to work with a laser. It was after your videos that I purchased Aufero and Ortur. I have one idea, maybe you’ll like it... Unfortunately, I won’t be able to implement it in the near future, the other day I’m leaving to work for three months.Instead of a honeycomb metal mesh, you can install a radiator from a car, and install a fan from a car under it in a large casing. Radiators are made of aluminum or copper, they have high heat transfer and will not allow iron to stick when cutting. In addition, the fan will press the cutting material with the air flow.And it will help the laser cut thinner.
Hey, you could make a mini Cybertruck cutting n engraving the fold lines. Metal model locos and other vehicles are commonly chemically etched, quick prototyping using laser cut shim?
Hi Joshua, another great video. Just a thought but if the exhaust outlet from that oil burner can boil water, it can generate steam. If the heat exchanger can be placed in a sealed container with the water then presumably pressurised steam can be fed into an enclosed Tesla turbine. You then have a feedback loop to charge a 12 volt battery that powers the glow plug.
One of the causes of distortion is the fact the stock is not flat plate, it was found with disc brake rotors, cutting them from coiled stock, when they get hot, they distort....warp if you will. With this design, using this stock, if the spacers went right to the outside of the disc, yes it's weight would be increased, but the gaps would be equal, if this is desirable.
If you're going to make one again, I'd suggest a simple offcut of laminate flooring, you could tape small pieces of copper wire or ball bearings to create the dents, then stamp each disc on both sides to make the spacing issue quicker to resolve
The Falcon 2 you reviewed has a cover that sits over it. However I find the fan is lacking any real world application as it's only USB powered. It would have been nice if they threw in a real 120/240v fan to move the fumes and smoke instead of gently suggesting they leave the laser. Usually after cutting some wood out you'll lift the enclosure to be hit in the face with a concentrated smoke cloud. I wish there was a cheaper option to extract the smoke and fumes especially when lasering metal pieces. My wife and I already both got very sick from the fumes when doing some Yeti Engraving.
Thats disappointing to hear it's not good enough. There are lots of fans available that can be modified to fit. A cheap short term solution if you own a compressor is to put a small regulated air line in the exhaust pipe to create a Bernoulli Venturi effect. Or otherwise use a regular desk fan and tap some stuff card into a cone as an adapter for the outlet. Cheers J
It's very easy to add a proper 100 or 150 mm inline fan if you already have an enclosure. You just need a reducer and larger exhaust hose. Diode laser manufactures don't throw in fans like that because that would double the cost of the enclosure.
the "optimum" size for a tesla turbine is approx 3 metres diameter and spinning at 36,000 rpm. There are slight materials problems in having sheets of any material this size subjected to these kinds of stresses
what happens if you lose that tiny wee usb key/dongle ? looks like that's just waiting to happen since if you are using it for safety, you'll be taking it out all the time.
your right but i think it just makes a live conection so you could make one out of any usb by soldering the connections together. or buy a new one from xTool.... cheers J
Great video, once again, I need your advice, I'm a DYI hobby wood builder and also need to help my daughter on some architectural projects, we would like to buy a laser cutter but use it very occasionally, and all that I see are quite expensive. what do you suggest?
@@joshuadelisle basically small pieces to build buildings like maquettes for gluing them after, so nothing so expensive, if it's good for engraving, it will be a must. I'm talking like 3mm of sheets, EVA, cardboard
@@joshuadelisle but it's sold out and the price for what I need it's quite high, I was looking for something between 200 to 400€ at most, and it's already a struggle since the wages here in Portugal are quite low, if you have any other in mind, çet me know, but money here is a problem. thank you so much.
Personally creality because you can buy a cover for it and extraction but also have it open when needed and have the extra height capabilities. Cheers J
Stainless shim welding, that was unexpected, not sure what that could be used for but someone will try it. A couple of decades ago I was into CNC and Tesla turbines. Got sheet Stainless, Aluminum and Titanium, but I never figured out how to cut the sheets without distortion, then family life got in the way. Desktop Waterjets like Wazer are bringing that closer to a home workshop. The sheets would be too thick for this laser, 0.3 - 0.5mm.
First dongle I've seen in over a decade. There's a reason they died. A tiny data stick in a workshop - that's never going to get knocked off and lost, surely? Add to that it needing proprietary software to work fully and you've lost a large percentage of your buyers.
I think your right although it has its advantages. the dongle I beleive is just a key and only crosses live wires to enable the function to work, I think i could make one from an old usb by soldering all the wires together. that is if the official one got lost or broken. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle So you could replace it with a wodge of kitchen foil or a scrunched up chewing gum wrapper? I remember using the same technique to start my Morris Traveller when I lost the keys a few decades ago. 😄
ha ha - the "tesla turbine" running out of an enclosure wasn't really working in its "tesla turbine mode" - a solid wheel will also freewheel to near freestream speed... Needless to say , I love the enthusiasm with which you attacked the "problem" - despite the "drawbacks" of laser-cutting the very thing SS shim.. I to do dislike manufacturers locking everyone else out of their systems, though some of the drawbacks may be work-aroundable. Anysystem can easily be stuck inside a cabinet - and frankly they should be. I make enclosures for my "cabinet free" 3d printers out of polystyrene foam (construction insulation - of whatever density I need / have available) and aluminium foil or house wrap - with heat and ventilation piped in, a laser enclosure is no more difficult to imagine (easier as it isn't trying to be a thermal envelope... (I even put in a double glazed window using clear plexiglass inseted into the foam, very easy...)
Yes the turbine definately need refinement in the future video. Self build enclosures will be a good video project to tackle as many would like the option. cheers J
A 3D printer is much, much less likely to spontaneously burst into flames, which is a very real danger of using a laser with flammable materials. 3D printers also don't shoot beams of light that can permanently damage your (or your family's, pets' or other innocent bystanders') sight.
Wait.... You never actually built the turbine in the video? Not so sure this qualifies as a TT. They need the enclosure and also room for air to flow smoothly between the discs... A solid disc would spin with air blowing across it....
Looks like a great bit of kit and I would buy one but. Why do all these companies, not just xTool, sting customers in the UK with dollar for pound prices. The exchange rate currently is one dollar equals .79 of a pound. This machine 40w with rotary, honeycomb bed and riser is £2549 in the UK. In the US the same spec costs $2499.99. So less than £2000.
Maybe however a CO2 can't cut or engrave stainless as well as a diode can. also a diode has a much longer and starighter focus than a CO2 and a diode apparently lasts much longer than a CO2 tube. a 100w+ CO2 though would be awesome. cheers J
I think if companies making hardware such as this that want to stay on the cutting edge (pun intended) then real world data such as the pros and cons of users pushing the creativity envelope is the way / the key to staying on the forefront of the market.
Definately, after talking with xtool I understand the new tech needs new software so they've had to come up with their own. lightburn however is what most people have invested in so they should realy negotiate with lightburn for solutions. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle It's not about the new tech needing new software, it's mostly about them trying to be a glowforge killer and the Apple of hobby laser world by tying users into their (overpriced) ecosystem.
Ups... You just introduced me to hexavalent chromium. It seems that I also unknowingly had exposure to this nasty stuff, because occasionally I do stainless steel welding.
Instead of using copper or aluminium as a backer could you not use simple glue sticks (ie the kind you'd use with your 3D printer) to tack the stainless sheet onto a plywood backer? I can't see it having any ill effects on either the sheet or laser and any fumes couldn't possibly be worse than the chromium?
You could be right that maybe a very cost effective way. Having a space allows the metal to heat up better and therefore oxidize and burn away better. Having the metal clamped down with magnets is very handy but a temporary glue could be used. Making sure the wood isn't burning underneath may be an issue. Some experimenting is needed. Cheers J
Hi, we have been following your UA-cam channel and are impressed by your professionalism and creativity. We really enjoyed your review video. EM-Smart is a compact desktop brand and we hope to establish a cooperative relationship with you. We hope to communicate with you further.
The xTool software is quite rubbish. Yes, they're updating it but not very frequently and they prioritise new flashy stuff over adding missing basic features (like locking objects so they can't be accidentally moved; hell, adding layers took them over a year and they decided to set an artificial limit of 8) or fixing bugs. It's easy to learn because it's very basic, but the moment you want to do something more complicated, it starts holding you back.
Hi Josh. Very new to this industry. Embryonic business model here . Have watched all of your xtool etc review and tuition videos with great interest. Fabulous work. Thanks for inspiring me on my next steps
Hi guys, I hope this content was helpful, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on moving forward with these type of reviews and projects.
Here are some helpful links but I've put more information in the description for you also:
the NEW xTool S1 exclusive discount code '200S1' on S1 to enjoy a $200 off of purchases of $2000 or more.
UK: uk.xtool.com/products/xtool-s1-laser-cutter?ref=g9u23thc&
US: www.xtool.com/products/xtool-s1-laser-cutter?ref=g9u23thc&
My Patreon page: patreon.com/JoshuaDeLisle?Link&
***WIN*** Enter the current raffle here *(Ends 18 Nov 2023 @ 10am)*: raffall.com/joshuadelisle
Cheers J
Can you please let us know the proper recipe for Your Brew?
i think were still in infantsy, seeing the ancients laser cut stone, granites.. i stoped being a watch, & became a time waster.
The line at the end, "Stop being a watcher and instead become a doer", is excellent advice which almost everyone needs to take.
Thanks!
Thank you. That's very kind. Cheers J
"Stop being a watcher and instead, become a doer and get out there in the real world, and forge for yourself, a life worth living."
Excellent ! Every You tube video should have this at the end and in the description.
Thank you so much. I tell my kids there are two kinds of people, those that get up and make the world better and those that sit and complain about why the world is falling apart. I tell them it's their choice which they want to become. Cheers J
Another great review
Thank you. Cheers J
Anything for cutting up to 4mm aluminum? Laser would be nice?
Plasma is what I would use. Otherwise a 2kw laser is needed. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle thank you for your response
Your Tesla Turbine is not doing what a Tesla Turbine is meant to be. Without a Case that forces the Gas to exit in the Center of rotation, the Air gets pulled out from the centrifugal force. What you want is, that the Air has to exit through the Center. So as the air is pulled out but only can go inside, it has to accelerate in a spiral trajectory towards the Center. Like water is doing when draining off in your shower. This is what makes Tesla Turbines reaching RPS way above 50´000 and suddenly ripping apart your blades if not perfectly balanced. lol But thanks for the review of the machine.
Yes you're right. As I mentioned in the video I'll build a bigger one with a housing to increase efficiency. Cheers J
Yeah 12:48 he mentions exactly that. Maybe watch the whole video first 😉👍
@@TheZombieSaintsit’s like mixing yeast, sugar, water, and salt together and calling it bread, then saying “it needs some work to increase it’s breadyness”. No it needs the main ingredient.
@@TheZombieSaints I did, he said that a enclosure makes the turbine even more efficient. But thats not true. His Turbine does not work as intended in the first place. He actually would change the whole functional concept of the turbine. Thats a difference.
@@joshuadelisle May im a bit picky. But you are not increasing the efficiency. You are changing the functional concept of the turbine.
Excellent review..... Thank's.
Thank you. Cheers J
Great Video,as always -as well as charging a battery, can you please also charge a sand battery? I know you want to hookup to your van heater, but would love to see what kind of performance it would give,as i am thinking of building a wind wall and a gutter wind turbine - your workshop walls could give you a lot of power,not just for heating,and if you have space for a windwall, you might be able to cheaply go off-grid
Look forward to next weeks episode 👍😁
That sounds interesting, you mean heat storage using an electric element in sand? Do you know a reference to a wind wall for me to look at? Cheers J
It may help to heat treat each plate in a clamp to flatten them, and do consistent dots stamped in.
Nikola Tesla is one of my favourite historical people, a brilliant inventor who thought way outside any box. He had a photographic memory along with a imagination that was immense. If Joshua builds a bigger Tesla turbine it will be a fascinating exercise. Great post, thank you 👍
Thank you so much, this attempt was certainly not up to Tesla's standards but hopefully I'll unlock its potential in the future video. cheers J
You are my fav youtuber at the moment. Great range of content
Thank you so much. Cheers J
As always, love this video. Great delivery, sense of humor, accessibility via clear explanations, and a damn fine closing command to get off our arses.
Thank you so much, I'm blessed to have such wonderful subscribers who encourage me to the best that I can, so hopefully I can encourage you guys to do your best also. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle Cheers, indeed. 👍
I'm done forging a life and that's why I watch others that are still capable of doing it.
What happens on z-axis if the height sensor goes over the cutting matrix, i.e edge of material?
So the probe works by mapping the area not by dragging but by dibbing up and down and registering different heights and open spaces, this can only be done in the xTool software which I didn't get to use. Cheers J
Hi Josh, Another of Teslas magic. I have been interested in this turbine for many years but my age is against any further experiments, however I think you would be interested in salvaging the platters from old non-functionl PC hard drives, these being If I remeber correctly somewhere around the 1-1.5 mm thichness. These would need to be set up to have the center sectionscut out as you have done on your turbine with ultra thin (not flat) platters. The bearings would need to be ceramic by prefference as the normal speed of a corrrectly built turbine is in excess of 10-15 thousand RPM. In fact many well built turbines have exploded due to excessive centripedal forces at such high speeds. I don't know if you are aware that if you drive the turbine not only do you acheive a high rotary velocity but the center if isolated will act as a vaccuum generator. Getting back to the hard disk platters, they are ideal as they are precision made and precision flat and are ideal for the turbine blades. Unfortunately I never got around to building one due to the pressures of family life and now am too old to want to. I have enjoyed your videos which follow a lot of my past interests and I wish you well in your edevours. Best regards MoK. PS.Teslas coil is another enjoyable build you may want to look at.
New sub here. Watched 3 of your videos and im hooked.
Thank you so much. Cheers J
@Joshua De Lisle - You might want to try using the platters from old HDDs (hard disk drives), which are very flat and very well balanced.
ooh now there is a thought.
HDD platter would tank efficiency, the thinner the sheets more sheets you can squeeze in.Teslas equations basically shift the factors for efficiency to want more sheets and more rpms.
Use a number of small nozzles to guide the air between disks, then you can have as many disks as desired, and they can be strong but lightweight. The density of stainless steel works against you at high RPM, because you are up against the same kind of problem as a space elevator. They need material that is strong but lightweight. The aluminum substrate of HDD platters is not ideal, but it is better than any variety of steel.@@jerrys2292
@@jerrys2292 I guess more layer stacked will achieve more torque rather than more rpm.
Hello Joshua!!! I use Google translator. Therefore, please forgive me in advance, the phrase was translated incorrectly...I’m just learning how to work with a laser. It was after your videos that I purchased Aufero and Ortur. I have one idea, maybe you’ll like it... Unfortunately, I won’t be able to implement it in the near future, the other day I’m leaving to work for three months.Instead of a honeycomb metal mesh, you can install a radiator from a car, and install a fan from a car under it in a large casing. Radiators are made of aluminum or copper, they have high heat transfer and will not allow iron to stick when cutting. In addition, the fan will press the cutting material with the air flow.And it will help the laser cut thinner.
I kinda like this machine reminds me of the lincoln CNC FlexCut i used to use for work with almost all the same features
Nice. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle i'm kinda suprised you haven't reviewed any CNC plasma stuff would be interesting to see ;)
@@DatBoiOrly I have. I built one and I'm building a big one next year. Cheers J
Hey, you could make a mini Cybertruck cutting n engraving the fold lines. Metal model locos and other vehicles are commonly chemically etched, quick prototyping using laser cut shim?
That's a great idea. Would be a great gift too unfolded. Cheers J
Sweet
Thank you. Cheers J
Hi Joshua, another great video. Just a thought but if the exhaust outlet from that oil burner can boil water, it can generate steam. If the heat exchanger can be placed in a sealed container with the water then presumably pressurised steam can be fed into an enclosed Tesla turbine. You then have a feedback loop to charge a 12 volt battery that powers the glow plug.
Tesla turbine...pure genious!! Approaching winter, any ideas for super diesel heater upgrade from last year.?
I've got all the parts ready. I just need time to do it between other jobs. Cheers J
One of the causes of distortion is the fact the stock is not flat plate, it was found with disc brake rotors, cutting them from coiled stock, when they get hot, they distort....warp if you will.
With this design, using this stock, if the spacers went right to the outside of the disc, yes it's weight would be increased, but the gaps would be equal, if this is desirable.
I had one of those boxes as a teenager, it played vinyl records. 😁
Lol. cheers J
Another great video after watching one of your videos i went and purchased a sculpfun s30 pro i am still getting used to it
Well done. cheers J
If you're going to make one again, I'd suggest a simple offcut of laminate flooring, you could tape small pieces of copper wire or ball bearings to create the dents, then stamp each disc on both sides to make the spacing issue quicker to resolve
Good tip. Cheers J
The Falcon 2 you reviewed has a cover that sits over it. However I find the fan is lacking any real world application as it's only USB powered.
It would have been nice if they threw in a real 120/240v fan to move the fumes and smoke instead of gently suggesting they leave the laser.
Usually after cutting some wood out you'll lift the enclosure to be hit in the face with a concentrated smoke cloud.
I wish there was a cheaper option to extract the smoke and fumes especially when lasering metal pieces. My wife and I already both got very sick from the fumes when doing some Yeti Engraving.
Thats disappointing to hear it's not good enough. There are lots of fans available that can be modified to fit. A cheap short term solution if you own a compressor is to put a small regulated air line in the exhaust pipe to create a Bernoulli Venturi effect. Or otherwise use a regular desk fan and tap some stuff card into a cone as an adapter for the outlet. Cheers J
It's very easy to add a proper 100 or 150 mm inline fan if you already have an enclosure. You just need a reducer and larger exhaust hose.
Diode laser manufactures don't throw in fans like that because that would double the cost of the enclosure.
the "optimum" size for a tesla turbine is approx 3 metres diameter and spinning at 36,000 rpm.
There are slight materials problems in having sheets of any material this size subjected to these kinds of stresses
Add a touch of cooking spray to the stainless steel to prevent it from welding to the bed.
Worth a try. Cheers J
what happens if you lose that tiny wee usb key/dongle ? looks like that's just waiting to happen since if you are using it for safety, you'll be taking it out all the time.
your right but i think it just makes a live conection so you could make one out of any usb by soldering the connections together. or buy a new one from xTool.... cheers J
Hi Joshua, I hope that link I posted for you about the new Elegoo OrangeStorm Giga 3D Core XY Huge Printer on Kick Starter was helpful?
I don't think I've seen it. Sorry. Where did you post it?
@@joshuadelisle Hi I thought I posted it on your last video you did on UA-cam? The one before this one.
Great video, once again, I need your advice, I'm a DYI hobby wood builder and also need to help my daughter on some architectural projects, we would like to buy a laser cutter but use it very occasionally, and all that I see are quite expensive. what do you suggest?
Thank you so much. What specific jobs do you need one for and I may know which machine is suitable for the money. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle basically small pieces to build buildings like maquettes for gluing them after, so nothing so expensive, if it's good for engraving, it will be a must. I'm talking like 3mm of sheets, EVA, cardboard
@@MrJfrutuoso1972 thank you. For just 3mm thick material the Comgrow Z1 pro 20w is ideal and very affordable. That's what I would choose. Cheers J
@@joshuadelisle tanks, I will check for it
@@joshuadelisle but it's sold out and the price for what I need it's quite high, I was looking for something between 200 to 400€ at most, and it's already a struggle since the wages here in Portugal are quite low, if you have any other in mind, çet me know, but money here is a problem. thank you so much.
This vs Crealty?
Personally creality because you can buy a cover for it and extraction but also have it open when needed and have the extra height capabilities. Cheers J
Stainless shim welding, that was unexpected, not sure what that could be used for but someone will try it. A couple of decades ago I was into CNC and Tesla turbines. Got sheet Stainless, Aluminum and Titanium, but I never figured out how to cut the sheets without distortion, then family life got in the way. Desktop Waterjets like Wazer are bringing that closer to a home workshop. The sheets would be too thick for this laser, 0.3 - 0.5mm.
Yes a wazer water jet would be nice but very expensive. Cheers J
First dongle I've seen in over a decade. There's a reason they died. A tiny data stick in a workshop - that's never going to get knocked off and lost, surely? Add to that it needing proprietary software to work fully and you've lost a large percentage of your buyers.
I think your right although it has its advantages. the dongle I beleive is just a key and only crosses live wires to enable the function to work, I think i could make one from an old usb by soldering all the wires together. that is if the official one got lost or broken. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle So you could replace it with a wodge of kitchen foil or a scrunched up chewing gum wrapper? I remember using the same technique to start my Morris Traveller when I lost the keys a few decades ago. 😄
ha ha - the "tesla turbine" running out of an enclosure wasn't really working in its "tesla turbine mode" - a solid wheel will also freewheel to near freestream speed...
Needless to say , I love the enthusiasm with which you attacked the "problem" - despite the "drawbacks" of laser-cutting the very thing SS shim..
I to do dislike manufacturers locking everyone else out of their systems, though some of the drawbacks may be work-aroundable.
Anysystem can easily be stuck inside a cabinet - and frankly they should be. I make enclosures for my "cabinet free" 3d printers out of polystyrene foam (construction insulation - of whatever density I need / have available) and aluminium foil or house wrap - with heat and ventilation piped in, a laser enclosure is no more difficult to imagine (easier as it isn't trying to be a thermal envelope... (I even put in a double glazed window using clear plexiglass inseted into the foam, very easy...)
Yes the turbine definately need refinement in the future video. Self build enclosures will be a good video project to tackle as many would like the option. cheers J
A 3D printer is much, much less likely to spontaneously burst into flames, which is a very real danger of using a laser with flammable materials.
3D printers also don't shoot beams of light that can permanently damage your (or your family's, pets' or other innocent bystanders') sight.
If I remember correctly, hexavalent chromium was the bad guy poison in Erin Brockovich
Wait.... You never actually built the turbine in the video? Not so sure this qualifies as a TT. They need the enclosure and also room for air to flow smoothly between the discs... A solid disc would spin with air blowing across it....
Looks like a great bit of kit and I would buy one but. Why do all these companies, not just xTool, sting customers in the UK with dollar for pound prices. The exchange rate currently is one dollar equals .79 of a pound. This machine 40w with rotary, honeycomb bed and riser is £2549 in the UK. In the US the same spec costs $2499.99. So less than £2000.
It's probably to do with import tax. USA gets better rates. cheers J
Good review, but when you’re spending £2k, why would you not get a much bigger 60W CO2 laser from someone like OmTech for a similar price.
Maybe however a CO2 can't cut or engrave stainless as well as a diode can. also a diode has a much longer and starighter focus than a CO2 and a diode apparently lasts much longer than a CO2 tube. a 100w+ CO2 though would be awesome. cheers J
Maybe exactly because it would be much bigger.
This video.❤
I think if companies making hardware such as this that want to stay on the cutting edge (pun intended) then real world data such as the pros and cons of users pushing the creativity envelope is the way / the key to staying on the forefront of the market.
Definately, after talking with xtool I understand the new tech needs new software so they've had to come up with their own. lightburn however is what most people have invested in so they should realy negotiate with lightburn for solutions. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle It's not about the new tech needing new software, it's mostly about them trying to be a glowforge killer and the Apple of hobby laser world by tying users into their (overpriced) ecosystem.
Only just found your channel!
Can you cut thicker steel by doing multiple passess?
I don't yet. I'll try and get more thicknesses to test out. Cheers J
Ups... You just introduced me to hexavalent chromium. It seems that I also unknowingly had exposure to this nasty stuff, because occasionally I do stainless steel welding.
@@ev-olution8597 extraction is your friend. Cheers J
Instead of using copper or aluminium as a backer could you not use simple glue sticks (ie the kind you'd use with your 3D printer) to tack the stainless sheet onto a plywood backer? I can't see it having any ill effects on either the sheet or laser and any fumes couldn't possibly be worse than the chromium?
You could be right that maybe a very cost effective way. Having a space allows the metal to heat up better and therefore oxidize and burn away better. Having the metal clamped down with magnets is very handy but a temporary glue could be used. Making sure the wood isn't burning underneath may be an issue. Some experimenting is needed. Cheers J
USB key is a non-starter. Sorry, xTool. One dongle is enough.
It was strange to me. Cheers J
Hi, we have been following your UA-cam channel and are impressed by your professionalism and creativity. We really enjoyed your review video. EM-Smart is a compact desktop brand and we hope to establish a cooperative relationship with you. We hope to communicate with you further.
You could literally cut an inch thick mdf disc and get a similar result. There’s no proof of anything in this video
It's mainly demonstrating the machine. There are lots of videos specific to the Tesla turbine if you want more data. Cheers J
The xTool software is quite rubbish. Yes, they're updating it but not very frequently and they prioritise new flashy stuff over adding missing basic features (like locking objects so they can't be accidentally moved; hell, adding layers took them over a year and they decided to set an artificial limit of 8) or fixing bugs.
It's easy to learn because it's very basic, but the moment you want to do something more complicated, it starts holding you back.
Heh, he said zed.
Ofcourse he was
Yep. Cheers J
For the love of God....tell me you're wearing eye protection!
Not with this one as it's covered. But it's probably a good idea to still do as nothing is 100%. Cheers J
Ok, an advert for the laser tool. Right…
A reveiw, adverts don't show negative points. cheers J
Offcourse Tesla was right, but your experiment has not much to do with Tesla's turbine.
Yes it needs a housing etc and refinement. cheers J
@@joshuadelisle No, I meqnt the disks itself. You cannot just make them out of the floppy, curved thin foil, with thin foil spacers.
Hi Josh. Very new to this industry. Embryonic business model here . Have watched all of your xtool etc review and tuition videos with great interest. Fabulous work. Thanks for inspiring me on my next steps
Thank you so much. I hope to have a lot more for you soon. cheers J
Just received an e-mail from [you I think] is it a scam [Last chance to win the xTool S1 40w laser Engraver]
That was me. The raffle is ending very soon if we're interested in taking part. Cheers J